"I started the charity because one of the things we do is advocate for people with type 1 diabetes and eating disorders," she added.

Dai Williams, national director for Diabetes UK Cymru, said that since 2003 it was mandatory that everyone diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is instructed on how to manage the condition.

But he claimed only 2% of diabetics in Wales were getting the information they needed.

"If you don't understand your diabetes... it's not just a case of managing it properly, it's understanding the consequences of mismanaging it, and that's one of the problems," he added.

A Welsh government spokesperson said if diabetes is not managed properly, it can lead to very serious health problems.

"The good news is, by educating people with the condition so they have the knowledge and confidence they need to keep their diabetes under control, quality of life is improved vastly," said a spokesperson.

"It is disappointing so few young people in Wales are accessing structured education about their diabetes.

"The Welsh government is committed to the structured education programme and this will be re-enforced in our new Diabetes Delivery Plan, which will be published for consultation soon."

The plan will have a clear aim of improving provision, awareness and uptake of courses across Wales, the spokesperson added.